“So if supposing he’s right and I’m afraid of failure, it’s because I don’t fail many times. Maybe he’s right. I’m not used to failing. But the reality is he’s a specialist because, eight years without a piece of silverware, that’s failure.

“If I did that in Chelsea I’d leave and not come back.”

Four hours earlier, when asked why he thought the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool have been playing down their title chances, Wenger had said: “It’s fear to fail.

“If you declare yourself not in the race you cannot lose it, simple as that. I think just that our job is to be ambitious and to try to win, if we do not win to take full responsibility for that. That’s how I see it.”

The Gunners have failed to win any silverware under the Frenchman since the 2005 FA Cup Final.